Baptismal Record of James Watson: From Scotch Presbyterian Church, Montreal, denominated St. Andrews for the year one thousand eight hundred and forty eight - " James son of James Watson of Montreal, late of 93rd Regiment and Jane Marks his wife was born on the seventh and baptized on the twentieth day of April One Thousand Eight Hundred and Forty Eight by me:
(signed) Alex Mathieson D.D.Min
(signed) James Watson
Jane M. Watson (marked with an X)
Anna N (R?) Roach"
Census information shows him alternately to be a carpenter and farmer. "When I was three months <June 1881> old my parents left the farm and came to live in a house on my grandfather's land that stood where the Clelands live now, as father worked in Cushing's saw mill. In the summer of 1881 he built the house that still stands next to mine. [from "A Family History" by Amelia E. Usher (Aunt Millie), 1947]
"In September of 1885 Father met with a serious accident in the mill. After hours he was filing a circular saw, when the machinery unexpectedly started to carry him forward like a log, and cutting the thigh of his right leg through.He almost bled to death as he was brought home on a stretcher, but Dr. Robertson of St. Andrews being at the Cushing residence was soon in attendance. Drs. Thomas and George Christie of Lachute were called and all consulted together for three hours. Before getting chloroform Father begged to have his leg left on and not be sent to a hospital. When it was thought that he wouldn't live anyway, the doctors got one of father's hand saws and sawed the jagged edges of the bone smooth, bored two holes in each end with a gimlet, and tied the bones together with wire taken from an old broomstick. After almost a year Father had recovered enough to get around with crutches, then with only one, and latterly used a cane, eventually being able to carry on his trade as a builder, climbing ladders as before.
In the fall of 1886, father, not being able to do much else, attended school next door to our home where a fine teacher was in charge. My brother Willie was going and though I would not be six years of age until March 1, I too began to go in January, so we were always able to boast that we went to school with our father. Indeed, we sometimes had to pull him over the snowdrifts on our handsleigh. The many months spent in bed on his back affected his kidneys and left him delicate, so that if he ever got chilled he suffered acute attacks of pain. He died October 19, 1914, after only three days from being stricken with paralysis while at his work in Government Shops in Carillon.
[from "A Family History" by Amelia E. Usher (Aunt Millie), 1947]
James had a medal from the Fenian Raids (1866-1870). The medal has "11th Bn" and "1870" on it. In the National Archives, Microfilm RG9, II A 5, Vol 9, p. 33 it states for James Watson - "11th Battalion Argenteuil Rangers. Service: May 26 - May 29 at Montreal and St. Andrews. Commanding officer: Lt. Col. Abbott. Address: Cushing, Que."1881 Canadian Census:
Census Place:Chatham, Argenteuil, Quebec, Canada
Source:FHL Film 1375860 NAC C-13224 Dist 96 SubDist C Div 1 Page 61 Family 268
SexMarrAgeOriginBirthplace
James WATSONMM36EnglishQ <Quebec>
Occ:Farmer & Carp.Religion:C. Presbyterian
Louisa WATSONFM26ScottishQ <Quebec>
Religion:C. Presbyterian
William James WATSONM2EnglishQ <Quebec>
Religion:C. Presbyterian
Elisabeth L. WATSONF<1EnglishQ <Quebec>
Religion:C. Presbyterian
Born:Mar; 2/12In 1853, James, then age 5, was left in care of the O'Brien family. That summer his mother died (August) followed by his two younger brothers, Alexander in September and William in October. The family had been living in Montreal, which is where his mother and brother Alexander died (presumably of some communicable disease sweeping the area in 1853). His brother William died in Cushing, so it was likely late September 1853 that the father, James, took his two surviving sons to Cushing and placed them in care of the O'Brien family. James was raised by the O'Briens who lived in a stone farmhouse, located between Cushing and Saint Philippe (now 602 2e Concession (just east of Cushing Rd.)). It's not known how long James lived in the house, it is possible he was there until he got married since we know that when he married Louisa Webster in 1876, he rented the O'Brien farmhouse and he and Louisa lived there until June of 1881. At that time the family moved to a brick house beside the old Webster one on the Front Road (now Rue des Outawais) of Chatham Township. It was at that time that James started to build the frame house that would become the family homestead. The family moved into the house in the fall of 1881 (located at about 700 route des Outaouais).
Marie Louise (Louisa* Mary) Webster
Family Bible shows birth date as January 9, 1854 (also shows "Lousia M. Watson" as name .. presumably in error)
1871 Census - Quebec District 96 Argenteuil; Sub-District Chatham Enumerators Division No. 1; page 18 line 8
Webster, Louisa / F / age 16 / province of birth Quebec / religion Church of Scotland / origin Scotch
[transcribed by Doreen Davidson]Baptismal Record Notre-Dame-Des-Sept-Douleurs-De-Grenville
1855 B.5 Marie Louise Webster
born 09 January baptized 04 February
( in French)
[Doreen Davidson]
1881 Canadian Census:
Census Place:Chatham, Argenteuil, Quebec, Canada
Source:FHL Film 1375860 NAC C-13224 Dist 96 SubDist C Div 1 Page 61 Family 268
SexMarrAgeOriginBirthplace
James WATSONMM36EnglishQ <Quebec>
Occ:Farmer & Carp.Religion:C. Presbyterian
Louisa WATSONFM26ScottishQ <Quebec>
Religion:C. Presbyterian
William James WATSONM2EnglishQ <Quebec>
Religion:C. Presbyterian
Elisabeth L. WATSONF<1EnglishQ <Quebec>
Religion:C. Presbyterian
Born:Mar; 2/12
5. William James (Willie) Watson
Attended St. John's Military Academy. Died of a perforated appendix in Montreal.